'Born to Be Free' hightlights the plight of 18 belugas bound for U.S. aquariums, while also showcasing the brutal and often deadly methods of capturing and transporting the white marine mammals known as Arctic dolphins. READ MORE

"Until they stop the breeding and retire their whales into sea sanctuaries we just can't let up," Gabriela Cowperthwaite, who helmed the documentary that slammed the amusement park's captivity of orcas, says in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. READ MORE

Willie Nelson, REO Speedwagon, Heart and Barenaked Ladies dropped out of their SeaWorld gigs, while Diane Warren says, "It should impact musicians to not ever play at these horrible places. Animals are not here to entertain us." READ MORE

Summary

Many of us have experienced the excitement and awe of watching 8,000 pound orcas, or “killer whales,” soar out of the water and fly through the air at sea parks, as if in perfect harmony with their trainers. Yet, in our contemporary lore this mighty black and white mammal is like a two-faced Janus—beloved as a majestic, friendly giant yet infamous for its capacity to kill viciously. Blackfish unravels the complexities of this dichotomy, employing the story of notorious performing whale Tilikum, who—unlike any orca in the wild—has taken the lives of several people while in captivity. So what exactly went wrong?